Clothing Donations

Ladle can use donated items such as clothing, backpacks and blankets. Items can be new or used as long as they are clean. During the week the donated items can be brought to the Church (320 Date Street), and left at the church office. If you have a large donation we requests that you contact us here to schedule the best time for delivery or pick-up. There is more demand for men’s clothing than women’s or children’s. It would be helpful to us if you could put women’s clothing donations and men’s clothing donations in separate bags and label the bags as either Men’s Clothing or Men’s Clothing.

First Presbyterian Church is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3, non-profit corporation. Therefore, your donations to Ladle are tax deductible. You can ask for a tax receipt at the time of your donation.

Below are some suggested items:

Suggested Items

Men’s Clothing

Our biggest needs are pants (jeans and casual), shoes (especially sneakers), sweat pants, belts, boxer underwear, jackets, and sweatshirts. All sizes are needed, but pants waist sizes 32–38, shoe sizes 10–12, and large to x-large in other clothing items are the most requested.

Women’s Clothing

We primarily need pants, shoes (especially sneakers), and jackets. The most requested sizes are 8–12 in pants, sizes 7–10 in shoes, and M–XL in jackets and underwear.

Outer Clothing

We can always use coats, jackets, hoodies, etc.

Blankets and backpacks

We can use new or used (clean) blankets, ground cloths, and tarps. Backpacks and sleeping bags are always in high demand.

Toiletries

One of our most requested items is a toiletry kit. If you would like to donate toiletry kits, here is what we put in our kits:

1 soap
1 shampoo
1 conditioner
1 razor
1 deodorant
1 toothbrush
1 toothpaste
1 lotion

All of these items are in small sizes that our guests can easily carry with them.

The company Sackcloth & Ashes (sackclothandashes.com /pages /about-new ) made several large blanket donations to Ladle. This company donates one blanket to a homeless program for each blanket it sells. A video was made of the owner and his family distributing blankets to our Ladle guests and explaining the story behind his interest in homelessness. To view this video click on the thumbnail image below